Peters



(Nb Model.) 4 2 sheets-sheet 1.

E. F. MEYER.

DRAW BRIDGE 'ALARM.

No. 288,470. Patented Nov. 13, 1883.

N. PEIERS. Phamulm m lwr. Wnhingwn. 04c.

No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet2.

E. "F. MEYER.

DRAW BRIDGE ALARM.

Patented Nov. 13,- 1883.

l I n l a PETERS. Phomhmomp er. Washington. D. c.

Nrrun STATES PATENT Fries..

ERNEST F. MEYER, OF LAKE CHARLES, LQUISIANA, ASSIGNOR TO HERMAN H.SOHINDLER, OF SAME PLACE.

DRAWJBRIDGE ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,470, dated November13, 1883.

Application filed May 23, mm. (No mode.)

' T aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ERNEsr F. 1\IEYER,2L citizen of the United States,residing at Lake Charles, in the parish of Oalcasieu and State ofLouisiana, have invented a new and useful Draw-Bridge Alarm, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to railway-alarms, such as are used in connectionwith drawbridges, and are operated by the wheels of the locomotive andcars as they pass over the track. Its object is to provide an alarmpossessing superior advantages 'in point of simplicity, durability, andgeneral efficiency. i

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the bridge anddraw having the track and my improved alarm mechanism. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse sectional view, taken through the rock-shaft that operates,the alarm. Fig. 4. is a vertical transverse sectional view, takenthrough the shaft carrying the bell-hammer. Fig. 5 is a detail sectionalview, .taken through the adjusting portion of the shaft that sets thealarm. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the bellhammer and itslatch and operating sh aft. Fig. 7. is a detail perspective View of themechanism for setting the alarm.

. Referring to the drawings, A A designate the longitudinal beams onwhich the ties B are seated, the rails O 0 being secured to the tiesinthe usual manner.

D is the draw, which may be of any suitable construction, and carriesthe section of track E E, as shown. At some distance from the draw atransverse rock-shaft, F, is journaled, and this shaft is provided atits ends with upwardlyprojecting arms G G, having its top edge, H,rounded or beveled from end to end, over which the wheels of thelocomotive and cars are adapted to run to depress the said arms and turnthe shaft. A coiled spring, I, is secured around the shaft F, and servesto force the same up, so that its arms G G will project above the headof the rail and the said shaft is also provided with adownwardly-projectin g arm, J, by which it can be operated, ashereinafter described.

K is a longitudinal rod or shaft, that is adapted to slide in bracketsL, projecting from one of the beams A A, and extends from the draw D tothe arms J, grooved rollers M being journaled on one of the beams A Aunder the said rod to support the same. This rod is preferablyconstructed of compressed paper to gain lightness and obviate expansionand contraction of the sameby changes in temperature, and

with its ends of hardened steel to render them i more durable. ThisshaftKis formed of two sections having right and left hand screw-threadsN 0, respectively, on their adjoining ends, these ends being united by asleeve-nut, 1 having corresponding screw-threads QR, so 6 that this nutcan be operated to lengthen and shorten the rod, as desired. J am-nuts SS are arranged at the ends of the sleeve-nut, and a coiled spring, T, issecured on the shaft, and acts against one of the brackets L to forcethe shaft toward the draw.

. Adjoining the end of the draw is fulcrumed a bell-crank lever, II, ona cross-beam, V, so that one of its arms, WV, acts against the end ofthe rod or shaftK, and the movement of its other arm, X, is limited by astop-block or lug, Y. When the draw is closed, a block or projection, Z,on its under side, comes against this arm X, and causes the lever U toforce therod K, by reason of its engaging arm WV, from so the train willpass along without sounding the V alarm; but as soon as the draw isopened, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, if only for the width of therail. it releases its pressure upon the lever U, and the spring T forcesthe rod- K toward the draw, thus permitting the rock- 0 shaft to come upby action of its spring I, so I that it will be operated by the wheels.

. A block, A, is secured to one of the beams AA, and is provided withabumper or cushion,

B to break the shock of the arm J as the rod 5 K releases its pressure.

C is a rock-shaft that is j ournaled transversely near the rock-shaft F,and is provided with a hammer, D and with a coiled spring,

E for'forcing the shaft to cause the said ham 10o mer to strike a bellor gong, F that is arranged on a cross-beam, G

To the rear end of the hammer or arm D, which is fixed on theshaft O ishinged, preferably by means of a bail, IP, as shown, a latch-block, 1which projects from the rear end of the said hammer, and is held inposition by two spring-arms, J J which are secured to the free end ofthe latch-block and to the shaft This latch-block is actuated by an arm,K projecting from the shaft E, which arm depresses the block to raisethe hammer whenever its operating-arms G G are depressed by the wheelsof the passing train. The arm K will pass the block to permit the hammerto fall and strike the gong by action of the spring E when the spring Iwill serve to return the said arm K up past the latch-block, ready toagain depress the same. The block I will be caused to swing back on itshingebail H by the upward return movement of arm K to permit the latterto pass to a positlon above said block; but on the downward movement ofsaid arm the block will come against the end of the hammer and remainstationary, so that its engagement by the end of the arm will serve toraise the hammer until the engagement of the arm and block is broken,when the hammer will fall against the gong and sound the alarm. Acushion or bumper, L is preferably arranged under the hammer to breakits fall against the bell and to hold it up from the latter.

It will be understood that two of these alarms can be arranged at eachside the draw at suitable distances apart, and can be connected andactuated by the same longitudinal sliding rod K. This improved alarmmechanism can also be used in connection with switches, when the block Zcan be arranged on the switch-track.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of a longitudinal slidingrod, a bell-crank lever acting against one end of the same, a springforcing the rod against the said lever, the block or projection on thebridge for operating the lever, and'a transverse rock-shaft having theupwardly-projecting arms, which are adapted to be acted upon by thewheels of the passing train, and provided with an arm arranged to beengaged by the end of the sliding rod, this said rock-shaft beingadapted to operate an alarm, as set forth.

2. The combination of the operating rockshaft having theactuating-spring, the end arms adapted to be depressed by the wheels ofthe passing train, the downwardly-proj ecting arm, the hammer, and thearm for actuating the hammer of an alarm mechanism,

with a longitudinally-sliding rod arranged to engage this saiddownwardly-proj ecting arm to throw the mechanism out of operation, andmeans for operating this sliding rod, as set forth.

3. The combination of the bell-crank lever, the longitudinal beams onwhich the track is built having the brackets, thelongitudinal rodsliding in these brackets, and acted upon by one end of the bell-cranklever, the spring arranged on the rod and abutting against one of thebrackets, and a transverse rock-shaft carrying arms by which it can bedepressed, and provided with an arm against which the end of the slidingrod operates, the said rookshaft being adapted to operate an alarm as itis depressed, as set forth.

4. The combination of a transverse rockshaft adapted to be actuated bythe wheels of the passing train, and provided with a projecting arm,another transverse rock -shaft carrying a bell-hammer, at the end ofwhich hammer is arranged a spring-actuated latch' that is hinged on therear end of the hammer, and is engaged by the projecting arm on itsdownward movement to raise the hammer, and is thrown over on its hingesby the upward movement of the arm to permit the-passage of the same,substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Y

5. The combination of the transverse operating rock-shaft having the endarms that are acted upon by the wheels of the passing train, andprovided with the projecting alarm-operating arm, the spring foractuating this shaft, the transverse rock-shaft carrying the bellhammer,the spring for actuating this shaft, the latch-block hinged to the rearend of the hammer, and having the springs secured to the shaft, and thebell or gong, as set forth.

6. The combination of the bell-crank lever, the projection for operatingthis lever, the longitudinally-sliding rod having the actuating-spring,the spring-actuated rock-shaft having the end arms, thedownwardly-projecting arm, and the alarm operating arm, the transverserock-shaft carrying the bellhammer, and having the actuatingspring, thespring-actuated latch-block hinged to the rear end of the hammer, andthe bell or gong, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST FERDINAND MEYER.

Vitnesses:

A. H. WAITH, P. A. SPIGKERNAGLE.

IIO

